Overview:
Natron is seeking an Associate General Counsel/General Counsel (DOE) who will report to our CEO and work from our Holland, MI HQ. As the first internal legal hire, this person will work closely with all departments and leaders to support the company’s growth and mission.
While the primary focus of this role will be to both draft and negotiate complex contracts and partnership agreements as well as provide advice and handle legal aspects of intellectual property; other responsibilities may include compliance with regulatory requirements, advise on risks associated with our operations, and human resources issues. We are poised to scale dramatically over the next 5 years as we recently announced the construction of our gigafactory in North Carolina. As our AGC/GC, it will be paramount to help us evaluate business risk with practical and sound advice while you help us preserve our entrepreneurial spirit that drives us to accomplish our mission.
Key Responsibilities:
● Develop and implement a comprehensive legal strategy that supports the company’s business objectives and mitigates risks.
● Provide advice to leadership on legal matters, including business strategies, transactions, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and risk management.
● Draft, review, negotiate, and manage all contracts, including vendor agreements, partnerships, and customer contracts. Complex commercial agreements including customer contracts, vendor agreements, partnership deals, and intellectual property licenses, ensuring alignment with business objectives and legal compliance.
● Play a key role in legal due diligence, deal structuring, and contract negotiation for supply agreements, joint venture arrangements, funding rounds and mergers and acquisitions
● Manage the relationship with our USG funding partners, ensuring compliance to their requirements for a long-term partnership. Additionally, work closely with the Sales team to manage new material contracts and subsequent compliance on all levels throughout the business.
● Advise on intellectual property strategy, including patent protection, trademark registration, and copyright compliance.
● Identify and mitigate legal risks related to business operations, including data privacy, employment law, and environmental regulations.
● Manage relationships with external legal counsel as needed for specialized legal matters or litigation.
● Oversee the resolution of any legal disputes, including litigation, arbitration, and mediation as necessary.
Qualifications:
● Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school and active bar membership
● Minimum of 10+ years of legal experience.
● Demonstrated experience in a corporate legal role, preferably in a startup or fast-growing climate tech company.
● Previous track record in drafting contracts of high value, structuring international agreements/partnerships etc.
● Excellent negotiation, communication, and problem-solving skills; Enjoy navigating a fast paced environment of ambiguity and tackling a broad range of challenges as the company scales.
● Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to think strategically and provide sound business advice.
● Highly responsible, self-motivated, and able to thrive in an energetic, fast pace, high growth, entrepreneurial environment.
● Excellent communication skills - written, verbal, and interpersonal.
● Must be able to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
● Must be a highly ethical and proactive leader who can maximize the resources of a growth company.